The present invention relates to a badge assembly; more particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for mounting a badge assembly on a grill or other component of a motorized or non-motorized vehicle without the need for tools.
It is common for a motor enthusiast to attach one or more badges to his or her vehicle to display indicia representing a country of origin, an affiliation with a motoring group, a slogan, the make or model of the vehicle, or another type of symbol. Typically, badges are mounted to the grill of a vehicle so that they can be seen by someone viewing the front of the vehicle.
Existing systems for mounting a badge to a grill of a vehicle typically include a mounting base and a retaining member. The mounting base and retaining member are first attached to the grill, and then the badge is attached to the mounting base. However, existing systems for mounting a badge to the grill of a vehicle are problematic because it is difficult to attach the mounting base and retaining member to the grill.
In order to attach the mounting base and retaining member to the grill, the mounting base is placed adjacent to an outer surface of the grill, and then the retaining member is placed adjacent to an inner surface of the grill so the grill is positioned between the mounting base and the retainer member. Then one or more screws or bolts are used to draw the mounting base and the retaining member closer together so that both components are firmly in contact with the grill, wherein the heads of screws or bolts are positioned adjacent to the inner surface of the grill and are therefore accessible from behind the grill.
The difficultly lies in gaining access to the inner surface of the grill to properly align the retaining member with the mounting base so that the screws or bolts may pass through the retaining member and threadably engage the mounting base. Typically, the inner surface of the grill can be accessed by opening the hood of the vehicle or going through the engine compartment in some manner. Some vehicles have access to the inner surface of the grill by this manner, and some do not, which severely limits the variety of vehicles in which a badge can be mounted.
Even if access to the inner surface of the grill is gained by going through the engine compartment, it is still difficult to align the retaining member with the mounting base, while at the same time trying to thread the screws or bolts through the retaining member and mounting base using a tool that is being utilized behind the grill. The need to use tools in combination with the limited accessibility of the rear portion of the grill makes the attachment of a badge to a vehicle using existing systems inconvenient and time consuming. Existing badge mounting systems are also problematic because they do not include a reliable mechanism for preventing the badge from falling off during use or from being stolen.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a badge that can be easily and efficiently mounted to a grill of a vehicle. Further, there is a need for a system and method for mounting the badge to the grill of a vehicle without using tools. The present invention fills these needs as well as other needs.